Removal of 327 Books with LGBTQ+ Themes by TN School District Is “Heartbreaking” Censorship
Jeremy C. Young, senior manager of free expression and education programs at PEN America, said in response to the news: “This is a heartbreaking case of administrative censorship and… More
Educational Gag Order Proposals Spike by 250% in 2022, PEN America Reports
“Our report documents in alarming detail the threats to how young people learn and are taught in American schools,” said Suzanne Nossel, Chief Executive Officer of PEN America. “Lawmakers… More
PEN America Launches Ninth U.S. Chapter in Arizona to be Led by Author Michelle Beaver and Poet Amber McCrary
“There’s a tremendous amount of literary talent in the Grand Canyon State, and PEN’s presence here is going to help unify those voices,” says PEN Arizona Chapter Leader Michelle… More
‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Inserts “Heavy Hand” of Lawmakers Into Classroom Lessons
PEN America issued the following statement upon passage of Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill, from CEO Suzanne Nossel: "Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill amounts to a government diktat policing the… More
The PEN Ten: An Interview with Christopher Gonzalez
“I’m always drawn to writing by other queer authors of color, whether they’re writing about joy or anger or quiet narratives or love or sex. . . . More… More
The PEN Pod: On Dave Chappelle, Protecting Journalists, and More Facebook Revelations
“My goal was to document voices that were not heard the same way that others were, and I wanted to make sure to hand a mic to my local… More
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SCOTUS has agreed to hear #GonzalezVGoogle and #TwitterVTaamneh. Both cases concern whether tech companies could be held legally liable for what users post on their platforms, as well as for content that users see because of the platform’s algorithm. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/supreme-court-agrees-hear-cases-social-media-immunity-section-230_n_633b15efe4b02816452c84f6
Stacks! I got to speak in a library in WI today about book bans, and took a quick perusal of the shelves. So many titles from ban lists! Kind of shocking to think of all the libraries pulling these books all over the country. How do they fill the gaps? #FreeTheBooks #FReadom
While some states are trying to prohibit universities from teaching about the history of racism, @EddieRCole writes, "these attacks are not new and, like today, limitations placed on academic freedom have a history long rooted in racism." https://www.washingtonpost.com/made-by-history/2022/10/03/limiting-academics-freedom-tell-truth-about-racism-is-not-new/